Starter device for swings



July 14, 1964 Filed Aug. 22, 1961 E. G. WALKER STARTER DEVICE FOR SWINGS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ELZO G. WALKER INVENTOR ATTORNEY July 14, 1964 Filed Aug. 22, 1961 E. G. WALKER STARTER DEVICE FOR SWINGS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ELZO G.- WALKER INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,140,870 STARTER DEVICE FOR SWINGS Elzo G. Walker, 214 W. Mable, Odessa, Tex. Filed Aug. 22, 1961, Ser. No. 133,135 Claims. (Cl. 272-85) The invention relates to playground equipment and has reference to means for starting swings. This application is a continuation in part of my copending application Serial No. 723,783, filed March 25, 1958, now abandoned. The invention is particularly directed to an arcuate movable stairway erected in a specific relation to a swing so that the child using the swing can climb the stairway and get his start without the help of another person or without tedious effort to gain momentum.

This invention provides a stairway of arcuate form related to the length of the swing rope so that the child can back up the stairway while leaning against the swing board in a seated position achieving whatever elevation he desires as long as it is lower than the swing crossbar, at which elevation he can step off the stairway and start swinging. When he starts the first downward portion of his swing the stairway automatically moves back far enough to remove any chance of the child striking the steps as he comes back up on the return trip. The manner in which this is achieved is described in detail in the following specification and shown in the accompanying illustration which is a part of the description and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the stairway set up in proper relation to a swing and in the close or starting position.

FIGURE 2 is similar to FIGURE 1, but shows the stairway in its remote position.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional detail of the safety catch for holding the stairway in the remote position.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective detail showing the catch in operation.

FIGURE 5 is a rear view rollers.

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view of a second embodiment of the invention.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 and 2, a conventional playground swing is provided with a pair of standards 19, and a crossbar 11, to which the seat 14 is secured by means of rings 12 and ropes 13. While in use, the swing seat 14 describes an are indicated by a broken line 15. If a stairway 16 is designed to follow an are on a radius approximately the length of the swing ropes 13 plus the distance from the seat 14 to the ground, it can be positioned as in FIGURE 1 so that as the child sits against the seat and backs up the stairway he can stand in a substantially upright position on any step 17 leaning against the tension of the swing ropes 13 and thus forcing the stairway in a direction toward the swing. As explained hereinafter in detail, the child has drawn the stairway forward while starting up, and the combination of forces while he climbs up backwards holds the stairway in the forward position shown in FIGURE 1.

As soon as the child jumps off to start his swing as shown in FIGURE 2, this holding force is released and the stairway rolls back a safe distance where it remains until the child stops swinging and he or another child desires to start over again. The steps 17 slant backwards and may have ridges 18 on their forward edges to improve the childs foothold.

A framework 19 comprising a base made from a pair of steel channels 20 and a superstructure made from various steel angles 21 supports the stairway 16 in a controlled relationship to the swing standard 10. Arcuate stringers 22, to which the steps 17 are welded, have extensions 23 and 24 depending rearwardly which carry detail of the safety catch and 3,140,870 Patented July 14, 1964 axles 25 and 26, respectively, on which are mounted lower rollers 27 and upper rollers 28. A pair of rearwardly sloping tracks 29 is located inside the base members 20 on which the lower rollers 27 are supported. A parallel set of tracks 30 is attached to the superstructure of the framework 19 which carries the upper rollers 28 and this track is provided with stops 31 and 32 to limit the forward and backward travel of the stairway 16. A substantial cross brace 33 ties the base members 20 together and also acts as a rearward stop for the lower rollers 27.

In order to prevent the stairway 16 from being pushed accidentally or maliciously into the starting position where a child might strike it with some portion of his body while swinging, a safety catch 34, shown in detail in FIGURE 3, is provided. A hook 35 engages a crossbar 36 running between the base members 20 and at the other end of the safety catch 34 is a treadle 37 which replaces what would be the lowest step of the stairway 16. The catch 34 pivots on another crossbar 38 attached to the stairway stringers 22 and is weighted to hold the treadle 37 in a raised position or has a compression spring 39 to accomplish the same purpose. The treadle 37 fills only half the space that would normally be occupied by the bottom step leaving room alongside for the child to stand firmly on the ground with his left foot while simultaneously unlatching the stairway and pulling it forward with his right foot, as shown in FIG- URE 4. FIGURE 4 illustrates the start of this operation after which the treadle comes forward alongside his left foot. Then he steps with his left foot onto the second step 17a while his full weight is on the treadle 37. As long as he remains on the stairway the resulting forces hold it in the forward position. A railing 40 at the top of the stairway is a safety measure to prevent him from accidentally stepping too far back at the top. After the child has started swinging and the stairway has rolled back, the hook 35 on the catch 34 remains engaged with the crossbar 36. It would be difiicult for another child to disengage the catch as long as someone is swinging.

The edges of the extensions 23 and 24 reach beyond the rollers 27 and 28 as at 41 and 42 to act as shields to keep fingers or feet from accidentally getting between the tracks and the rollers.

FIGURE 6 shows a modification of the invention wherein the motive force to roll back the stairway is provided by a tension spring 43 in which case the lower shield 41a is designed to ride outside the base members 20 which are used as a track for the lower rollers 27 and therefore the upper track 30a is horizontal. It is not essential to the functioning of the device to have the latch 34 and so the modification in FIGURE 6 is shown without this feature. The child merely steps on the bottom step 17b and his weight against the tension of the swing ropes 13 overcomes the spring 43 and causes the stairway 16 to roll forward against the stop 31 as he climbs up backwards.

An added safety feature is a heavy wire screen 44 added to the backs of the steps 17 to eliminate any chance of a childs foot being caught between the steps.

The invention is not limited to the constructions herein shown and described, but may be made in various ways within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination of a playground swing having an overhead crossbar with a seat suspended therefrom, and a starter comprising a movable arcuate stairway adjacent to but wholly outside of one side of the area of oscillation of said swing, a track running in the plane of said oscillation and inclined downwardly and away from said swing, rollers attached to said stairway and engaged on said track, a stop to limit the motion of said stairway along said track towards said swing and a stop to limit the motion of said stairway along said track away from said swing.

2. The combination as defined in claim 1 having a catch Connected between said stairway and said track, said catch being positioned at the bottom of said stairway and arranged to hold said stairway in its position toward said swing.

3. A starter for swings comprising a stairway having sides, a trackway, rollers on said sides riding on said trackway, and means connected to said stairway for limiting movement of said stairway on said trackway and for returning said stairway to an initial position, said means including roller engaging stops on said trackway, and a spring anchored at one end to one of said stops and secured at the other end to one of said rollers.

4. The combination of an overhead support, a swing suspended from said support, and a starting device comprising a horizontal trackway disposed on the ground in the plane of oscillation of said swing and to one side of said overhead support, an arcuate stairway movable on said trackway and disposed in closely adjacent relation to the path or oscillation of the swing whereby an occupant of the swing may engage his feet with the stairway and while ascending the same may cause the stairway to move on the trackway in the direction of said support, and resilient means coacting with said trackway and said stairway for automatically returning the stairway to its initial position when feet of the swings occupant are disengaged therefrom.

5. The combination as defined in claim 4 together with stops provided on said trackway and engageable by said stairway to limit the movement of the stairway on the traclrway.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,220,332 Happel Mar' 27, 1917 1,724,535 Van Auken Aug. 13, 1929 1,731,532 Hoppes Oct. 15, 1929 2,357,293 Strong Sept. 5, 1944 2,479,736 Fieroh Aug. 23, 1949 2,581,572 Beuregard Jan. 8, 1952 2,792,126 Mapstone May 14, 1957 

1. THE COMBINATION OF A PLAYGROUND SWING HAVING AN OVERHEAD CROSSBAR WITH A SEAT SUSPENDED THEREFROM, AND A STARTER COMPRISING A MOVABLE ARCUATE STAIRWAY ADJACENT TO BUT WHOLLY OUTSIDE OF ONE SIDE OF THE AREA OF OSCILLATION OF SAID SWING, A TRACK RUNNING IN THE PLANE OF SAID OSCILLATION AND INCLINED DOWNWARDLY AND AWAY FROM SAID SWING, ROLLERS ATTACHED TO SAID STAIRWAY AND ENGAGED ON SAID TRACK, A STOP TO LIMIT THE MOTION OF SAID STAIRWAY ALONG SAID TRACK TOWARDS SAID SWING AND A STOP TO LIMIT THE MOTION OF SAID STAIRWAY ALONG SAID TRACK AWAY FROM SAID SWING. 